Chengqi Yan, Namachivayam Karthik, Yonghai Kang and Dangsheng Xiong
This paper aims to fabricate nickel-aluminum (Ni-Al)-based self-lubricating composite coating on aluminum (Al) alloy by mechanical milling (MM).
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to fabricate nickel-aluminum (Ni-Al)-based self-lubricating composite coating on aluminum (Al) alloy by mechanical milling (MM).
Design/methodology/approach
A new carrier transport (CT) way was designed to solve the slippage fracture of the coating due to silver (Ag) accumulation (Ag powders were cold welded with nickel [Ni] powders by MM in advance to avoid accumulation, then Al powder and samples were added to fabricate the coating).
Findings
Microstructure analysis reveals that the solid lubricant Ag exists as particles in the composite coating via CT technique, which is different from the typical morphology (strip-type) of Ag tailored by normal methods. The unique granular form of Ag can effectively avoid the gliding fracture of the coating, thus forming an efficacious lubrication film on the worn surface, which is responsible for the excellent tribological properties of the coating.
Practical implications
Most of the papers reported that coatings synthesized by MM mainly concentrated on hard coatings, but the fabrication of self-lubricating coatings have not yet reported.
Originality/value
The uniform dispersion of solid lubricant Ag can effectively solves a fatal problem that the fracture failure of coating triggered by the Ag accumulation. This experiment provides a novel method for preparation of self-lubricating coating by MM.
Peer review
The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-01-2020-0030